“Dutch Lunch”, a unique pick-up lunch concept started last spring by Gourmet Girls owner Katia Mangham, has made its mark on the Baton Rouge culinary scene. But there’s one thing Mangham wants to clarify.
“I don’t just serve Dutch food,” Mangham tells 225 Dine, laughing. “There’s been a little confusion about the name.”
Mangham says she chose to call the service Dutch Lunch because of the Dutch-style door on her building near the Perkins Road overpass that she uses as a serving window. Confusion aside, she says the feedback has been inspiring and her customers enjoy the concept. Mangham only uses seasonal ingredients and is always creating new culinary inventions, so no two Dutch Lunch menus are the same. She started serving lunch out of the Gourmet Girls catering kitchen as a hobby, but she admits it’s sometimes hard to keep up with.
“I do Dutch Lunch because I want to cook this kind of food and it’s fun,” she says, “but I’m a caterer. Big events like weddings are the priority.”
Dutch Lunch hours have changed a bit since the service started six months ago. Lunch is typically served every Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., but varies depending on Mangham’s catering schedule. Mangham says Dutch Lunch will continue consistently for the next couple of weeks, but that she’ll take a hiatus around the end of October. She plans to start serving again sometime in January.
“The holidays are just too busy,” she says. “But on days I serve lunch during the holiday season, I’ll announce it way ahead of time.”
Read the full story for scoop on how to keep up with the Dutch Lunch schedule and menu. And make sure you get your fill of local culinary news each week by signing up for the free 225 Dine e-newsletter.
